Pavilion Group to develop highrise township on land bordering TTDI and Bukit Kiara

The existing longhouses in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail will be developed soon.

Memang Perkasa Sdn Bhd, a private company linked to Tan Sri Desmond Lim Siew Choon, has submitted a development order for yet another 'megaproject', as PTLM would termed it.

The said land is Lot PT 9244 in Kuala Lumpur. It is located at the northern end of Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad in suburban Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, adajacent to Plaza VADS and next to the Sri Maha Mariamman Bukit Kiara Hindu temple.

The land is bordering the western side of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC). The size of the land is estimated to be 12 acres.

To recap back in June last year, a company known as Damai Kiaramas Sdn Bhd made known of its intention to sue the Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor for allegedly breaching a joint venture agreement.

Damai Kiaramas was set up in early 2009 upon entering into negotiations with the landowner, a social economic foundation known as Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), or Federal Territories Foundation.

A joint venture agreement was made in September 2013 with an intention to provide a long-term solution for the former estate workers living on the said land after their estate was closed down more than three decades ago.

The former estate workers had worked on an estate that was developed into the KLGCC and were resettled into longhouses on the land as a temporary measure.

It now has a community of more than 180 families squeezed into 100 units of longhouses built by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

Damai Kiaramas then drew up plans for a mixed development on the land, including a planned low-cost apartment to house the former estate workers.

Subsequently, YWP decided to pick another developer, Memang Perkasa. The reason given by YWP was that Damai Kiaramas was unable to perform the redevelopment plans due to financial capacity.

This led to Damai Kiaramas filling a court injunction to restrain YWP, the Federal Territories Minister, acting as chairman of the foundation, and Memang Perkasa for allegedly wrongly terminating its joint venture agreement.

Damai Kiaramas contended that YWP had no right to terminate the agreement unilaterally and without valid reason. It claimed that its joint venture with YWP remained valid and that YWP's partnership with Memang Perkasa was invalid.

The company also claimed that Memang Perkasa had induced YWP with alternative proposals and greater profits despite Damai Kiaramas having done all the initial work for the project.

PTLM was not able to find out what has happened after the court injunction. According to a source, Memang Perkasa had recently submitted a development order for the said land.

Memang Perkasa will be sub-dividing the said land into five smaller plots with one plot being set aside for 948 units of affordable apartments housed in three blocks.

Four other plots will be developed into a new luxury residential enclave with good views of the KLGCC and Bukit Kiara. The total gross development value is estimated to be worth several billions.

The proposed development entirely consists of residential components. In reference to the development order submitted by Memang Perkasa, the following are composition details of the company's proposed plans.

Plot A: Affordable Housing

Phase 1:

- Block A: 29-storey (316 units)

Phase 2:

- Block B: 29-storey (316 units)

- Block C: 29-storey (316 units)

[Total Units: 948 units]

Plot B, C, D and E: Residential Enclave

Phase 1:

- Service Apartment Tower 1: 45-storey (290 units)

- Service Apartment Tower 2: 52-storey (288 units)

Phase 2:

- Service Apartment Tower 3: 59- and 60-storey (224 units)

- Service Apartment Tower 4: 51- and 60-storey (100 units)

Phase 3:

- Service Apartment Tower 7: 52-storey (288 units)

- Service Apartment Tower 8: 45-storey (290 units)

Phase 4:

- Service Apartment Tower 5: 51- and 60-storey (100 units)

- Service Apartment Tower 6: 59- and 60-storey (224 units)

[Total Units: 1,804 units]

The proposed development name has not been confirmed but it is not surprising if Tan Sri Desmond would adopt his successful "Pavilion" branding - similar to other developments under his private companies and publicly listed entities such as Malton Bhd and Global Oriental Bhd.

PTLM opined that 'Pavilion Bukit Kiara' is one example of a name that may provide impetus for this massive development.

On the eastern side of the KLGCC along Jalan Bukit Kiara 1, Sime Darby Property is expected to launch a transit-oriented development consisting of residential, commercial, hospitality and convention components in one or two years time. Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) was also rumoured to be 'scouting' for land in Bukit Kiara.